


It Isn't The Love Of A Hero

by WaitAThousandYears



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Cloud being a miserable little shit, Gen, I cried like a baby at the end of Crisis Core, I hate Shinra, Manly Tears, Other, You were the real hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 09:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/620673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaitAThousandYears/pseuds/WaitAThousandYears
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I could've sat and watched the world burn as long as Shinra burned with it." Cloud has a confession for the deceased Zack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Isn't The Love Of A Hero

Do you know something, Zack?  
Everything I've done over the past few years has been for you.  
I never cared about justice or the good of others. I joined Shinra for one of the worst reasons possible. To impress a girl. It's embarrassing, looking back on it.  
Tifa would never let me live it down if she knew. I wouldn't blame her either.  
However, though Tifa was the reason I joined Shinra, she wasn't the reason I stayed.  
That day you gave us lowly Infantrymen that speech about dreams, do you remember that? Up until then, I was ready to walk away from SOLDIER.  
You were the only reason I didn't.  
You made me realise that I couldn't just keep running away whenever the going got tough. You made me realise that obstacles had to be overcome, not avoided.  
I stayed with Shinra because I wanted, no, needed you to be proud of me.  
Even then, you opinion of me meant so much more to me than Tifa's.  
In hindsight, maybe I should have left.  
Maybe then, you wouldn't have died. Not for me.  
But then, I'm just flattering myself, aren't I?  
You didn't die for me. You died because you were just so much better a person than anyone else. You would have died for a dog as happily.  
Do you know what they call me now?  
Hero.  
Everytime I hear that word it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.  
I did what I did for revenge.  
I just happened to save the world while I was at it.  
But in all honesty, I could've sat and watched the world burn without batting an eyelid as long as Shinra burned with it.  
I was happy as long as they suffered for what they did to you.  
But you, you lay down your life for me.  
You could have left to rot in Shinra Manor. But you didn't. You risked everything to bring me with you, and you died to protect me.  
No, I'm not a hero. I don't think there's ever been anyone more undeserving of that title than me.  
You were the real Hero Zack.  
And it sickens me that no one but me will ever know.


End file.
